Round 8 was defined by several thrilling finishes, while last year’s beaten grand finalists returned to their best in a statement performance.

BRISBANE LIONS      1.1   2.3      5.6         7.7 (49)
GEELONG CATS         4.6   8.14   11.20   15.25 (115)

Geelong maintained its four-point gap on top of the Smithy’s VFL ladder, comfortably defeating Brisbane by 66 points at Brighton Homes Arena on Friday. The Cats piled on 40 scoring shots to record their third win in a row and should have won by more than the final 66-point margin after registering a wayward 15.25. The result left the Lions languishing in bottom spot on the ladder with just one win from six games, having now failed to score more than 50 points in three consecutive matches. Jack Bowes put his hand up for an AFL recall, amassing a stat line that included 42 disposals, 10 score involvements, 10 inside 50s, seven clearances and two goals. George Stevens and Marcus Herbert also racked up plenty of the footy with 34 touches each, whilst the Cats finished with 12 individual goalkickers. Luke Beecken was a standout for Brisbane with 30 disposals and seven marks.

BEST
Brisbane Lions: Shadeau Brain, Luke Beecken, Sam Tilley, Tahj Abberley, Brad McDonald, Isaac Waller
Geelong Cats: Jack Bowes, Marcus Herbert, George Stevens, Mitch Knevitt, Rhys Stanley, Jed Bews
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SYDNEY SWANS       5.3   9.7   16.8   19.12 (126)
COLLINGWOOD        2.5   4.6   6.9     10.14 (74)

Sydney got back to winning ways in fine style, taking down Collingwood by 52 points at Tramway Oval on Friday afternoon to jump into third spot on the ladder. The Swans made a promising start and built on their lead as the game played out. After holding a 31-point advantage at half time, a seven-goal to two third term ensured the home side had the four points in safe keeping by three quarter time. The result consigned the Magpies to a third-straight defeat and bumped them into 18th spot on the ladder. Mitch Mellis was influential for the victors and produced a stunning performance that included 30 disposals, seven intercepts and three goals. Joel Hamling had a strong performance up forward and booted five majors, while Patrick Snell was prolific with 12 intercepts, eight marks and seven inside 50s. Collingwood draftee Sam Swadling continued his push for an AFL debut with 40 disposals and nine marks, while teammate Xavier Laverty kicked two goals from seven scoring shots.

BEST
Sydney Swans: Joel Hamling, Mitch Mellis, Corey Warner, Peter Ladhams, Jevan Phillipou
Collingwood: Sam Swadling, Oskar Faulkhead, Tyan Prindable, Xavier Laverty, Will Phillips, Iliro Smit
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BOX HILL HAWKS      2.2   3.5   8.8   12.11 (83)
RICHMOND                  2.1   5.4   8.7   12.10 (82)

We got an unexpected thriller at Box Hill City Oval on Saturday, with the Box Hill Hawks holding on for a one-point victory over a gallant Richmond in their first game back on their home deck this season. Despite fielding a side without a single AFL-listed players, the Tigers had the Hawks on the back foot for much of the game and led by 11 points at the main break. The home side rallied in the third to take a one-point lead into the final quarter. However, the Tigers kicked two quick majors to start the final term and got the lead out to 19 points as time-on approached before the Hawks stormed back. Jack Dalton won a holding the ball free kick and nailed a goal with the final kick of the match to secure a fourth-consecutive win for the Hawks. It was the second time in a row they had won a game at Box Hill City Oval with the final kick, following Bodie Ryan’s heroics against the Brisbane Lions in last year’s semi final. Ollie Greeves was the leading disposal winner on the ground with 33, along with seven clearances and a crucial late goal, while Dalton would finish with three goals while also having 23 disposals and five tackles. The Tigers had five multiple goalkickers and had many great contributors, including Mutaz El Nour who had 19 disposals at 90% efficiency, 11 intercepts and 10 marks.

BEST
Box Hill Hawks: Oliver Greeves, Cody Anderson, Jack Dalton, Jaime Uhr-Henry, Cameron Nairn, Flynn Perez
Richmond: Austin Johnson, Joel Garner, Mutaz El Nour, Aaron Sharkie, Leo Connolly, Ry Cantwell
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GOLD COAST SUNS 1.1   3.3       7.8    12.11 (83)
FRANKSTON                6.2   12.5   14.6   19.8 (122)

Frankston’s good run of form continued, comfortably defeating the Gold Coast Suns by 39 points at People First Stadium. In the return to the scene of their famous 2024 Wildcard Final win, the tone was set early as the Dolphins raced out of the blocks and piled on six-goal first and second quarters, while keeping the Suns to only six scoring shots before in the first half. Despite the Suns bringing the final margin back to a respectable difference, it still proved to be Frankston’s greatest winning margin since Round 17 last year. Trent Mynott led the way with 40 disposals, 13 marks, seven clearances, seven inside 50s and three majors in a complete display of dominance. Corey Ellison kicked an equal season-high five majors, while Jackson Voss (30 disposals, eight inside 50s) and Tyson Milne (27 disposals, seven intercept possessions) were also influential. Jai Murray was a standout for the Suns, with the 19-year-old having 28 touches, nine marks and seven clearances.

BEST
Gold Coast Suns: Beau Addinsall, Jai Murray, Hugh Greenwood, Charlie Ballard, Alex Sexton, Zak Evans
Frankston: Trent Mynott, Noah Gown, Patrick Dozzi, Jackson Voss, Tyson Milne, Corey Ellison
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TASMANIA      5.2   6.4    8.6       11.11 (77)
SOUTHPORT 3.4   7.6   12.10   20.10 (130)

Southport Sharks got back to their frightening best with a powerful 53-point victory over Tasmania at North Hobart Oval. Another loss locked on the cards when trailing by 22 points early in the piece, before the Sharks got going in the latter stages of the opening term. Trailing by 10 points at quarter time, the Sharks booted four goals to one in the second to establish an eight-point lead at the main break. But the second half is where the away side did the damage, kicking five goals to two in the third term before an eight-goal final quarter blew the game apart and gave Matthew Primus’ side their fourth win of the season. Max Pescud, Boyd Woodcock and Zac Foot all kicked three goals for the afternoon, the latter also amassing 28 disposals and 10 tackles. Jacob Dawson was dominant with 41 disposals and 12 clearances, also getting himself on the scoreboard in the process. The Devils best on a disappoint day included Harry Elmer, Brandon Leary and Jye Menzie, each of whom kicked goals and had more than 20 touches.

BEST
Tasmania: Harry Elmer, Brandon Leary, Nick Williams, Joseph Chaplin, Geordie Payne, Harry Bayles
Southport Sharks: Max Spencer, Zac Foot, Jacob Dawson, Campbell Lake, Boyd Woodcock, Brayden Crossley
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CARLTON        4.6   6.11   13.13    16.21 (117)
FOOTSCRAY  5.0   9.2      9.7        15.7 (97)

Carlton climbed to second place on the ladder after producing its best performance of the year down reigning premier Footscray by 20 points for its fifth-consecutive win. A high scoring first half saw the Bulldogs punish Carlton’s inaccuracy as they held a nine-point advantage at the main break despite having six less scoring shots. But the Blues would turn the game on its head in the third term, kicking seven goals to nil to open a 30-point advantage. Despite a six-goal final quarter from the Dogs, it was not enough to haul back their hosts, as they fell to a third-successive defeat. Ashton Moir was influential up forward for the Blues and booted four majors, working well alongside Talor Byrne who finished with three majors. Blake Acres was outstanding in the middle and had a season-high 34 disposals. Footscray was led by Cooper Craig-Peters (27 disposals, 10 clearances) and Luke Cleary (27 disposals, eight intercept possessions).

BEST
Carlton: Blake Acres, Wade Derksen, Lewis Young, Liam Reidy, Ashton Moir, Talor Byrne
Footscray: Cooper Craig-Peters, Luke Cleary, Luke Kennedy, Stirling Phipps-Parsons, Daniel Orgill, Connor Smith
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PORT MELBOURNE                4.4    5.7    11.11   15.13 (103)
NORTH MELBOURNE            3.4   10.6   11.7    13.12 (90)

An excellent come-from-behind victory from Port Melbourne was one of the highlights of Round 8, with the Borough defeaing North Melbourne by 13 points at ETU Stadium. The Roos produced an outstanding second quarter, in which they kicked seven goals to one, to lead by a game-high 29 points at half time. But the Borough flipped the script in the second half. They kicked six goals to one in the third term to take a narrow four-point advantage into three quarter time, and then by booted four of the final six goals of the match to secure three wins on the trot for the first time in half a decade. The dynamic duo of Dom Bedendo and Kaine Baldwin played a major role in the home side kicking a winning score, as they booted five and four goals respectively without kicking a behind between them. In the middle it was Ben Hobbs who took control, finishing with 33 disposals, eight clearances, seven tackles and a goal. North Melbourne was led by Thomson Dow (27 disposals) and Darcy MacPherson (25 disposals).

BEST
Port Melbourne: Dominic Bedendo, Ben Hobbs, Kaine Baldwin, Sam Grant, Joshua Green, Matthew Gahan
North Melbourne: Thomson Dow, Callum Coleman-Jones, Oscar van Dam, Oliver Lowe, Darcy Macpherson, Lachy Dovaston
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ST KILDA                        7.4   10.5   13.11   15.15 (105)
CASEY DEMONS       0.3   5.6      6.6        8.9 (57)

St Kilda produced its biggest win of 2026, proving too strong for Casey Demons to the tune of 48 points at RESA Park. The Saints did most of the damage in the opening term, with the tone set when Jayden Davey found the big sticks after just 23 seconds. It would be the first of seven unanswered goals by the hosts and the Demons would recover, despite kicking five goals in the second term. The visitors could never reduce the deficit to under four goals, as a five-goal to three second half secured the triumph for St Kilda. Mason Wood’s class was on show throughout the afternoon, kicking three majors while also amassing 28 disposals, 10 marks and five inside 50s. Blake Chambers was another to stand out with a team-high 28 disposals and seven intercept possessions. Tom McDonald was a clear best for the Demons, with an extraordinary statline which included 33 disposals, 15 rebound 50s, 14 intercepts and eight marks.

BEST
St Kilda: Ethan Phillips, Alex Dodson, Mason Wood, Ned Maginness, Lance Collard, Billy McGee Galimberti
Casey Demons: Thomas McDonald, Miller Bergman, Sam Hoghton, Jack Henderson, Jesse Craven, Oscar Berry
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SANDRINGHAM         2.3   4.7   8.11   12.12 (84)
GWS GIANTS               3.1   6.2   9.4     13.9 (87)

The standalone Sunday encounter at Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval delivered a thriller to close out Round 8, as the GWS Giants snuck home to win by three points over Sandringham. The match was a close for much of the afternoon, despite the Giants threatening to break the game open late in the second term when they reached a game-high 21 points. Just one-point separated the two sides at three quarter time before some quick scoring from the Zebras saw them lead by 13 points just minutes into the last quarter. The Giants would not be deterred however and by the 18-minute mark had established an eight-point cushion; before the home side fired back again and produced consecutive majors to lead by four points deep into time on. GWS would reply instantly to Jack Ferraro’s go-ahead goal courtesy of Riley Hamilton, with his second major of the match proving to be the game winner. Jack Ough had a season-high 39 disposals and seven score involvements to help get his side over the line, while Ollie Hannaford and Callum Brown were crucial with three majors apiece. A gallant Zebras outfit had excellent contributions from Lachlan Riley (31 disposals, five inside 50s), Darcy Chirgwin (29 disposals, 13 tackles and eight clearances) and Owen Bater.

BEST
Sandringham: Owen Bater, Andreas Stefanakis, Ethan Williams, Darcy Chirgwin, Kyle Cooper, Benjamin Stephenson
GWS Giants: Jack Ough, Ollie Hannaford, Harvey Hooper, Callum Brown, Jaxon East, Oskar Taylor
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